1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of electronic devices and more particularly to a method and system for capturing date information to establish reliably the date on which the device was first placed in service.
2. History of Related Art
Manufacturers of electronic devices frequently warrant their products for a specified time period. The specified time period, commonly referred to as the warranty period is frequently defined in terms of an “in-service” date. The in-service date is the date on which the customer first placed the device in service.
If the device malfunctions during the warranty period, the manufacturer will typically repair or replace the device at little or no cost to the customer. In large operations, warranty repairs can become a significant cost to the manufacturer. The warranty period for any given device is carefully determined by the manufacturer to control the cost of warranty repairs. The manufacturer typically determines the warranty period based on a number of factors including the expected failure rate of the device and the expected cost of an average warranty repair for the device. If the warranty period for a given device is extended, the warranty costs may significantly exceed the warranty costs projected and budgeted for the device. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to implement a system and method for determining date information, such as the in-service date, for an electronic component. It is further desirable that the implemented system and method not substantially increase the cost of the component and that the system and method is relatively immune to fraudulent manipulation by the customer while still providing sufficient flexibility to enable limited customer access to the desirable date information.